The Upper Hand

Despite the fact the obstructionist Republicans see a gain for their party in their stand against the stimulus package, a new Gallup Poll out today shows that President Barack Obama has the “upper hand” in the fight to pass the stimulus bill:

The American public gives President Barack Obama a strong 67% approval rating for the way in which he is handling the government’s efforts to pass an economic stimulus bill, while the Democrats and, in particular, the Republicans in Congress receive much lower approval ratings of 48% and 31%, respectively.

President Obama hit the road today to travel to the heartland in attempt to build more support for the stimulus package. Obama is visiting “job-starved Elkhart, Indiana” where he is holding a townhall meeting. Tonight he will hold his first prime-time news conference and then he will head to Florida on Tuesday.

Every day there are more reports of job losses. Today, Nissan announced a cut of 20,000 jobs. Many businesses hurt by the recession are looking at ways to attract more spending, including Starbucks who announced today they would offer a “value-meal type options for $3.95.”

Once again Paul Krugman has hit the nail on the head in regards to the mess we have on our hands with the Senate version of the stimulus package, thanks to the centrists:

What do you call someone who eliminates hundreds of thousands of American jobs, deprives millions of adequate health care and nutrition, undermines schools, but offers a $15,000 bonus to affluent people who flip their houses?

A proud centrist. For that is what the senators who ended up calling the tune on the stimulus bill just accomplished.

Sadly, Krugman points out that “President Obama’s belief that he can transcend the partisan divide” has “warped his economic strategy,” and he “got nothing in return for his bipartisan outreach.”

And so the fight continues to bring some relief to our economy. It won’t be easy.

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